Meghan pulled out of the morning's activities after the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games overran by nearly two hours on Saturday night.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "After a busy programme, the duke and duchess have decided to cut back the duchess's schedule slightly for the next couple of days, ahead of the final week-and-a-half of the tour."

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One of the Invictus Games athletes asks Harry to sign a pair of swimming trunks

Prince Harry went alone to meet competitors of the road cycling at Sydney's Domain on day two of the Games.

The event, founded by the prince in 2014, sees injured service personnel from 18 countries compete in 11 sports over eight days.

The Duke of Sussex later showed off his sense of humour by signing an athlete's swimming trunks, and even modelling a pair presented to him over his jeans.

The trunks were given to him by disabled sports presenter Dylan Alcott and two members of the Australian Invictus Games team at Admiralty House, where the royal couple are staying in Sydney.

Mr Alcott, a triple Paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair tennis and wheelchair basketball, said: "We gave him a gift. One of the athletes, Matt (Model), gave him a pair of budgie smugglers. And he put them on, over his jeans. It looks awesome.

"He said: 'Shall I put them on?' We said: '100%.' So he put them on. Good on him."

Meghan then joined her husband at a reception for Invictus competitors, their families and friends hosted by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

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Meghan rejoins her husband after resting during the morning

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The royal couple took in some sailing on day two of the Invictus Games

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The couple will next travel to Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland, with a visit to Lake McKenzie planned on Monday.